Tea or coffee bag



R. K SLOCUM Feb. 7, 1939.

TEA OR COFFEE BAG Filed 001;. 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'I;IIIIII I INVENTQR ATTOR EY,

I l I I I n I Feb. 7,1939. R. K. SLOCUM TEA OR COFFEE BAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iled Oct. 8, 1936 Patented Feb. 7,1939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TEA on come BAG Rodney K. Slocum, l'elham Manor, N. Y. Application October 8, 1936, Serial No. 104,612

- This invention relates to a package comprising a perforate bag containing a material such as tea, cofiee, or the like and also to the method and apparatus for producing the same.

5 The-invention has for an object to produce an improved package of the character specifled,.

' the improved package'in an efllcient and preferably automatic manner.

16 With these objects in view and such others as may appeanthe invention consists in thcpackage and in the method and apparatus hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

26 In the drawings the invention is illustrated as embodied in a tea bag and in the apparatus for producing the same, wherein-Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank comprising the-inner and outer jackets superimposed on one-another for forming the tea bag; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one step of the-method preferably employed in producing a tea bag embodying the present invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view with parts in section illustrating the completed tea bag; Fig. 4 is 'a'view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a different type of material for forming the tea bag;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammaticview illustrating a further step in the method preferably employed in producing a tea bag and Figs. 6 and 7 are views in side elevation and plan respectively of the preferred apparatus for producing the, present tea bag. j

As far as I am. aware prior to the present irivention tea bags have been constructedof a sin- 40 gle ply of gauze and in order to prevent leakage of the tea through the interstices of the gauze both during shipment and during the use of the tea bag, a very fine mesh gauze has been used. For commercial reasons it is highly desirable to '45 reduce to a minimum the cost of the gauze. In

practice it has been found that the cost of gauze forms a substantial part of the cost of a tea bag and accordingly the present invention aims to produce a novel construction of tea bag in which a much coarser and consequently less expensive gauze may be employed in the production of the tea bag and at the same time leakage ofjthe tea out through the interstices of the gauze pre- 7 vented to the end that tea bags of a construction a as will permit eflicient extraction of the tea with minimum contamination of the tea liquor by tea grounds or leaves may be produced more economically than has heretofore been possible.

While in its broader aspects the invention contemplates 9. novel package for containing various 5 commodities, for purpose of illustration the invention has been herein illustrated as embodied.

' in a tea bag and in a machine for producing a tea bag. In the illustrated machine shown in Figs.'6 and '7, such porticns'of van automatic tea l0 bag machine of the general construction shown in the U. S. Patent to Doble,'No. 1,726,060, dated August 27, 1929, have been herein shown as will enable the different features of the invention to be understood, and except as to details of con- 15- ,struction and modes of operation to be pointed out; the present bag forming apparatus may and preferably will comprise the machine illustrated in said Doble patent to which reference may be with a handle comprising a string l3 and tag 30 M as in the conventional form of tea bag.

The inner bag member l2 may comprise a fibrous sheet of a character capable of forming in effect a filter and the-outer bag member it may comprise a fibrous sheet. of a relatively open 5 structure and which in the double jacketed bag forms a reenforcement for the inner or filtering bag member I2. In practice it is preferred to utilize an inexpensive cotton gauze of open structure or coarse mesh as the outer bag member. 40 In practice the inner bag member may comprise an inexpensive paper batt, or loosely formed web, or a perforated paper sheet and in use serves to restrain the tea or the commodity within the bag and to in effect form a filter. 7

Referring now to the drawings, in the illustrated machine the bag forming members l6, l2, preferably in the form of sheets or webs are superimposed over a die l5 and under a forming and filling tube It as illustrated in Fig. 2. The 50 outer member III is laid on top of the gauze or inner member i2 so that when the forming tube [6 is caused to descend to form the bag as shown in Fig. 5, the member II will form the inner jacket .and the gauze Hi the outer jacket of the 5 her If is such as to require perforation, such as '1 some grades of paper, provision is preferably made for performingv the operation during the feeding of the web, from the su ply roll 20, to beneath the bag forming tube I and as herein shown, before entering the feed rolls 24, the paper web I2 is guided .past a perforating roll 28 which is driven from, and in timed relation to. one of the feed rolls 24, through a chain 30 which runs over a sprocket 32 secured to the feed roll shaft 34, and a sprocket 36 fast on a shaft 38.

A gear 40 also fast on the shaft 38 meshes with.

a gear 42 secured to the perforating roll shaft 44. A supporting roll 46 which cooperates with the perforating roll 28 is also mounted on the shaft 38. The materials thus prepared and cut ofi are superimposed upon a supporting plate having the opening or die i5 formed therein, and under the forming and filling tube It. When the character of material comprising the inner member I2 is such as to require no perforating, as for example when a loosely formed paper web, such .as a batt, is utilized, then the web from the sup- .ply roll 20 is fed directly into the feed rolls 24. A perforated sheet is illustrated in Fig. 4.

I 30 Provision is made for reciprocating the tube I8 vertically to thereby force the paper and gauze down through the die l5 and form them into a pouch bag, and during such movement provision is made for depositing a predetermined quantity of tea or other desired commodity down through I I'of the surplus material from the mouth portion the tube i6 and into the interior of the formed kbag. With the exception of the provision of the We supply rolls and the perforating rolls, the specific details. of the apparatus thus far describedand thelr'mod of operation may and preferably will comprise those illustrated in the aforesaid Doble Patent'No. 1,726,060, to which reference may be made for a complete description thereof.

As the double jacketed pouch bag is formed. and filled in the manner described at the bag forming and filling ,station of the machine, provision is preferably made for inserting it between automatically opened at this station. After the a bag has been formed and filled, the double gripping jaws are closed, thus closing the mouth of the bag, gripping the mouth portion at two points spaced a short distance apart, and operatively' supporting the bag during the succeeding operations performed thereon, including the trimming of the bag, the application of a closure for the mouth of the bag and of a handle comprising preferably a string l3 attached to the mouth of the bag and a tag I4 attached to the string as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the illustrated machine it will beunderstood that the plurality of sets of gripping members 50, 52 are operatively supported by a rotatable disk or turret 54, and provision is made for intermittently rotating the turret 54 through 8110088? sive steps by known mechanism as illustrated in said patent above referred to, so that the bag is formed and filled at one station as at A, and the gripplnz'members 50, 52 arethen operated toiclose l the mouth of the bag and to operatively support it and convey it during the successive steps I through'which theturret 54 is rotated until the i5 to the-mechanism for 'oneset of double gripping jaws 5]), 52 which are is located at station B, andthen to the mechanism for attaching the tag to the string at a succeeding station, not shown. but located at a point indicated at, C. 'At a succeeding station means are provided for severing the string which up until this point connects two more of the containers together, and finally after the surplus material has been trimmed oil the mouthportion of the'bag, the jaws are opened and the completed bag is permitted to drop onto a delivery conveyor 56 to be carried away from the machine. 7

As above set forth, the bag forming and filling mechanism for forming and filling the bag at the station A the loop applying mechanism for loopr ing the string around the mouth of the bag at the station 13; the tagging mechanism for attaching the tag to the string, and the succeeding mechaillustrated in said Doble Patent to which reference may be made.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the present double jacketed structure of package enables the use of a. relatively inexpensive and relatively open mesh gauze as the outer member of the double jacketed bag. The paper which may be used for the inner bag is relatively inexpensive and the double jacketed tea bag may be produced much more economically than prior bags embodying a single ply of finely woven gauze. In addition the structure of the double jacketed bag enables a more efficient filtering medium to be employed than has heretofore been possible in the manufacture of single ply tea bags. The use of fibrous material in the nature of a paper batt or web serves as an efdcient filter when reenforced by the outer gauze bag member, operating to prevent the inclusion of tea grounds or tea leaves in the extract resulting from the use of the tea ball. The illustrated machine and the method of simultaneously feeding the web materials for forming the'outer and inner bags enables the double jacketed tea bag to be produced in a most economical and highly efiiclent manner. If found desirable, the materials for. forming the outer and inner bags,-

such for example as the paper web and gauze web,

may be combined into. a composite structure canisms for completing the bag and delivering it.

1. A tea bag comprising a double jacketed ba I and a quantity of tea within said bag, the outer' bag being of the pouch type and comprising a relatively coarse open mesh fabric for supporting and reinforcing the inner bag, the mesh size of said fabric being sum ntly great that at least a portion of said tea will pass therethrough, the

' inner bag being of the pouch ype and comprising a porous paper material having small interstices .capable of acting as. an emcient filter. said inner .bag preventing the passage of tea through the meshes of said'mesh fabricand theouter bag forming a supporting and reinforcing covering comprising a double therethrou'gh, the inner bag com rising an inexpensiveporous paper sheet for preventing such passage or said commodity/ through the meshes oi. the outer bag, both bags being of the pouch type and having their neck portions contracted and closed and a handle comprising a. string secured to the contracted neck portions of the bag.'

' RODNEY K.

at least a portion of vsaid commodity will 

